Sitting across from his sister in her apartment, Thor wondered what was going on in her mind. She had been quiet for a while, but he knew better than to push her on things. Ella had a tendency to try and keep things bottled up, preferring to deal with things on her own than to talk them out. She was a master on getting everyone else to open up, but when it came to her own thoughts, she preferred to deal with them alone. She had cooked them both pancakes for breakfast, knowing that they were going to leave soon enough. She had promised to help her brother restore order across the Nine Realms, even though Thor had tried to keep her away from it.

He was still trying to persuade her to return to Asgard where he knew she would be safe, but she was stubborn. Stabbing a fork into one of his pancakes, Thor tugged a bit off and shoved it into his mouth before picking up his cup of coffee. Ella was picking at her pancake, using her fork to cut bits off, but she was not eating anything.

"What is going on?" Thor asked from his sister. She looked over at him and arched a brow.

She was still in her pyjamas, a robe hanging loosely over her body to cover them. She pulled one foot up onto her chair and rested her chin on her kneecap, hair hanging loosely over it. She shook her head at Thor. "Nothing."

"You know that you're not the best liar," he said to her, wondering if she understood that. "We've been sorting things out here preparing for you to leave for the past week and every morning you have been like this. Just tell me what it is. Is it Steve?"

"No," Ella shook her head. Honestly, she felt bad then as she hadn't really thought of Steve since she had told him how she really felt. She liked Steve well enough, but she had to be truthful to him. She only hoped that they could stay friends. "It's not Steve."

"Then what is it?" Thor asked, shrugging his shoulders and then folding his arms over his chest, his coffee cup still in his hands. "Ella, just talk to me."

"It's…" Ella began and trailed off. She sighed and sat up straight, tugging her hands through her hair and looking up to the ceiling. "It is going to sound crazy when I tell you and I know it is crazy myself, but…it is happening every night, Thor. Every night I keep having these dreams and they seem so real until I wake up."

"What dreams?" Thor asked from her.

"Loki," she spoke his name. They barely discussed Loki. They had hardly spoken about him or brought his name up together. Ever since Ella had been convinced that Loki had been the one to haul her out of the Potomac, she had had these dreams.

"Ella," Thor sighed her name.

"I know," she said, sensing what he was going to say. "I know that it sounds insane and they probably mean nothing, but they just feel so real. They feel normal…like he…like he is still here. We talk to each other…we discuss things that have happened…I could swear that they are real and I just don't know why they are happening."

"The mind is a powerful thing," Thor said to his sister. "It can play tricks on us. It often does."

"I don't know how to make them stop," Ella said. "I mean, I don't want them to stop…not really…I dream about him and it keeps me happy. It makes me happy to see him."

"He…well…he adored you, Ella," was all that Thor could say on the matter. He didn't know how to deal with this. He knew that Ella had always been close to Loki. The two of them were very similar to each other than Thor had been to either of them. Ella did not have her favourites. He knew that she loved both her brothers equally, but she understood Loki in ways that Thor had struggled to.

"I miss him," Ella said, admitting it to him again. "I miss him so much."

"We both do," Thor said to her. "It doesn't get easier. I doubt it ever will."

…

Returning to Asgard, Loki knew that he had to do something. He had received word that Thor and Ella were returning. He had impersonated Odin very well and he had to admit that he felt that he was a good leader. He had ensured that Odin was safe on Midgard. In a way, Odin had seemed almost relieved to go to Midgard. Ever since Frigga had died, he had not been the same. His children were grown up and forging a life of their own. Loki had almost felt guilt at leaving Odin behind.

Of course, that was until he returned to Asgard and took up the throne. But then he had discovered that his sister intended to go off with Thor and try to restore order in the Nine Realms. Loki had contemplated using his magic on her to get her to stop, but a part of him did not want to do that. He had come up with another solution, one that would keep Ella on Asgard and safe.

"Thor, Ella," Loki spoke when he saw them approaching the Throne Room. He was still sat on the chair, looking at the two of them as he kept up his disguise as Odin. They had both changed back into their proper attire, Thor dressed in his usual outfit with his flowing red cape, his hammer in his hand. Ella, on the other hand, wore a long pale pink gown that flowed gracefully around her. Her hair fell down her shoulders and her eyes seemed distant, almost as though she was somewhere else.

"Father," Thor greeted him.

"Father," Ella also greeted.

"My children," Loki spoke, trying to impersonate Odin as well as he could. "You are both home. Although I sense that you are not home for long…"

"The Nine Realms are currently fighting," Thor said. "I want to bring a stop to it and try to bring peace while I can."

"I see."

"And I wish to go with him," Ella said.

Odin pursed his lips and Ella wondered if her father was going to try and stop her. Instead, he simply nodded his head once and looked almost forlorn. Ella did her best not to feel a pang in her chest at the sight of her father. It had been a long time since she had spoken so casually to him. She had blamed him for Loki's death for such a long time and then she had ran off to Midgard. She felt an awkwardness between them.

"I am afraid I have another request for you, my daughter," Odin said and Ella arched her brow.

"What is it?" she wondered from him.

"Your brother was born to be King of Asgard after me," Odin spoke and Thor nodded his head. He remembered how well that had worked the previous time. "However, Thor is right. There is chaos in the Nine Realms and he is needed there. However, someone is needed here, Ella. Someone is needed to help rule Asgard."

Ella looked confused. "And you cannot do that?" she wondered from him.

"I can, but for how much longer, I do not know," Odin admitted and Ella had to admit that he looked exhausted. He looked almost weak. "Without Frigga by my side, I confess that I am struggling. Your mother was everything to me."

"Father," Ella said, slightly shocked. "You cannot mean this. Thor is the next King-"

"-No," Thor interrupted his sister. "I am good at fighting, Ella. I am good at keeping peace, but I am not…well…I am not good at the other things…the diplomatic things…not like you. You would make a kind and caring queen. Mother raised you in such matters."

"But…what if that is not what I want?" Ella asked meekly, looking over to Odin. "Father, what if I do not want to be that?"

"Then we will discuss that at a later time," Odin said to her. "But for now, I need you to try, my love. I need you to help me while your brother does what he does best. Ella, please."

Loki wondered if she was going to see through him then, but instead she merely nodded her head once and agreed with him. She had no idea if she was making the right choice, but she suspected that she would soon find out.

…

Thor had gone to speak with the Warriors Three and the Lady Sif that evening, trying to get them to come and help him on his mission. Ella had gone to the library, walking around and seeing that nothing had changed in the room. Loki had snuck in behind her, loitering in the shadows without his disguise of Odin. He had watched her pick up the books from the shelves and look down onto them, almost as if she was recalling some fond memories. He longed to move out and tell her the truth, but it was not the right time.

For the time being, he would still go to her in her dreams. He picked up his disguise again, regaining Odin's image before leaving the shadows.

"Ella," Odin spoke.

"Father," Ella responded to him. She placed a book back in its place and smoothed out the skirts against her legs.

"Sit," Odin urged from his daughter. She sat down on the chaise longue as Odin took a seat next to her. She looked at him as he moved his eyes over her, taking in her pale face. "I have missed you, Ella."

She was silent then. It was almost as though she had no idea what she should say to him. Loki wondered how their relationship had been when he had been locked up. He knew that it had not been good, but it seemed as though it was worse than he had initially imagined.

"I missed you too," Ella finally spoke. "I miss what we used to be like…all those years ago."

"I know," he responded. Loki suspected Odin did miss that. The man might be old and stubborn, but he still adored his children. Well, his non-adopted ones, anyway. Loki took a few moments to come to terms with what she had said and gather coherent thoughts. "I understand that what I have done in the past was…well…wrong," he said and Ella almost looked surprised. "I never meant to hurt you, Ella. I never meant to hurt any of you."

"I don't think for a minute you meant to," Ella replied. "But some of the things you said were really hurtful, father. Loki…he was still your son and he was not all bad. He did things that were unthinkable and wrong. I cannot make excuses for him, but I can try to understand him. I understand that he we pushed him away and he found someone who gave him what he always wanted. I just…I had always hoped that we would have been enough for him, not the throne."

"I think he wished that too," Odin said and Ella wondered if he meant that. "Anyway," he said before Ella grew suspicious. "I want to put things behind us, Ella. I want to move on. You are my daughter. I do not enjoy being at the receiving end of your anger."

Ella shrugged. "I hate it too," she said to him. "But are you certain you want my help? I…was always trained to be someone's wife. I was never trained to rule."

"And you think I made decisions without Frigga?" Odin asked from Ella. "Your mother taught you everything she knew. She was an excellent Queen. She would have faith in you, just as I have faith in you."

Ella bit down on her lip. "You will help me still, yes?" she asked from him. "You won't just leave me in the deep end?"

Odin moved a hand to hold onto hers. "I will be by your side to guide you," he promised her.

She nodded and let out a deep breath. "Then I think I can help."

…

A/N: Do let me know what you think!